The Tale of Melanie
by ElvenWhovian
Summary: A Poetic Retelling of the Portal 2 mod "Portal Stories: Mel" Set in the Medieval AU Established in "The Trial of the Bow" and "The Heart of the Exile" (also on fanfiction-dot-net). Written by ElvenWhovian and Starry-Nightengale


**The Tale of Melanie**

\- A Poetic Retelling of Portal Stories: Mel -

Written by ElvenWhovian and Starry-Nightengale

* * *

Forgotten years and wind-swept fears

bring memory out at last

Yet many a story remains untold

from Aperture's dark past.

* * *

Alongside Archer, Fool, and Queen,

a wealth of tales exist

Indeed of those you've yet to hear,

just one such tale is this:

* * *

Of old when Bow of trial was wrought,

the chambers vast were made.

The King desired knowledge great

and thus his plans were laid.

* * *

King Cave summoned heroes true,

the Trial he did decree

And one such champion of all

was fairest Melanie.

* * *

She was skilled as any man

in archery and might

A champion of distant lands,

her will was sure and bright.

* * *

The Bow she bore with skill so great

she outran every peer

The days were fair and joyous then,

and free of dread and fear.

* * *

Soon Melanie had proved her strength,

the learned men knew true

Thus they sought to test her will

with potions they had brewed.

* * *

"This", they said ,"will make you sleep

for an hour or less, my dear."

Yet Melanie it seemed was giv'n too much

and swooned beyond a year.

* * *

They sought to wake her but in vain,

the drought had done it's work

And the learned men of Aperture

made note of this potion's quirk.

* * *

They laid her bed deep in the ground

on the Labyrinth's lowest floor

And waited for her at last to wake

to take up the Trial once more.

* * *

Time went on, the King he died,

the Queen now reigned in dread

Still after the Flame had brought Her low,

fair Melanie lay in bed.

* * *

Yet not long after such a time,

she suddenly woke from dream

And to her dreary sleepy mind

no time had passed it seemed.

* * *

A gardener was young Virgil,

though short and quick of speech

The spell of the Queen had been on him

e'er since Her first defeat.

* * *

Yet Virgil in twilight of the mind

still wandered the gardens fair

'Til one day he fell into a hole

that long ages had put there.

* * *

Past the chambers and the caves

where the earliest trials were run,

And when he struck the ground thus hard

the enchantment was undone.

* * *

Alas thus trapped beneath debris

he cried aloud for help

And Melanie heard from her bed

the urgent fearful yelp.

* * *

She thought at first it was the King

come to lead her to his court,

But when she found poor Virgil

she was surprised at his report.

* * *

"You slept for five score years," he said

"They never thought you'd stir"

"Though perhaps 'twas fortunate in the end,

you escaped the spell of _Her."_

* * *

Indeed the curse of the darkened Queen

blocked all from any door

But Melanie remained untouched,

for she'd come long before.

* * *

Thus Virgil offered her a deal,

his conditions left no doubt:

"Free me from this trap," he said

and I'll lead you up and out."

* * *

So Melanie freed the poor fellow

and soon he was set aright

And the two climbed up and out of there

towards the ever-gathering light.

* * *

Yet as they climbed, Virgil looked down

and saw water on the rise

"Alas" he said "Here comes a flood!

What could have caused this tide?"

* * *

Now Virgil was learned in every part

of the castle's rhythm and rhyme

And he knew of the reservoir below

and how it's level was timed.

* * *

"Someone must have caused this,

see the lever is far above"

"One perhaps of ill intent

is controlling this great flood."

* * *

The water rose, and thus they fled

and their fortunes brightened then

For Melanie came upon the Bow,

laid to rest by the Queen's men.

* * *

So she took up the wondrous tool

and used it to their aid,

Yet the flood still rose after their feet

despite the plans they made.

* * *

They turned a corner and then they saw

to great shock and dismay

There was a host of Ellet warriors

who purposely blocked their way.

* * *

"You cannot pass," the Ellet said

"Thus did our master bid."

"You must pay for crimes you've done;

Indeed, neither of you shall live."

* * *

"What have we done?" Melanie cried.

Yet soon she saw the truth:

The Ellet too were under some spell,

their minds immune to proof.

* * *

Virgil then took Melanie's hand,

he pulled her to the side

And out into the garden

in the hopes that they could hide.

* * *

A maze there was of plants and hedges

specially made by he

And thus they lost the Ellet host

in the midst of the greenery.

* * *

Once they'd reached the other side,

and stood on the overlook

They saw the Ellet lost indeed,

in the greenery overtook.

* * *

"You won't escape without our help,"

Virgil called from their high place.

"But give us aid and spare our lives,

and perhaps we'll show you grace."

* * *

Whether it was the maze's confusion

or light from the incoming sun,

At once the Ellet's minds were clear,

the spell on them undone.

* * *

Virgil led them out of there,

they begged forgiveness true

And told him and fair Melanie

of the task they'd been sent to do.

* * *

"Indeed we had been enslaved,"

said the leader of the throng.

"A dragon lives above these halls,

he turned our minds thus wrong."

* * *

"He said you'd killed the learned men

who used to walk this hall"

"And that we should run before the flood

and slay any and all."

* * *

Virgil wondered at this news

for the dragon he knew well

This was Aegis, a pet of the king,

stronger than any could tell.

* * *

In the olden days he had

thus kept their foes at bay

But when the Queen took up the crown,

She bid him sleep away.

* * *

Aegis was mistaken in his blame

of the servants' demise

And thus it seemed he sought to kill

all those left inside.

* * *

The others left in twilight shade

who walked in somber mind

The dragon did not sense at all

for his wit was dulled by time.

* * *

So it was that when Virgil fell

and Melanie woke from slumber,

The dragon was stirred within his lair,

their lives he would dash asunder.

* * *

He came upon a few Ellet,

in vain they tried to flee

They all succumbed to his dark will

and he set them to his deed.

* * *

Thus ended the Ellet's tale

and Melanie proposed a task:

"Help us cast Aegis into sleep,

and we'll all be free at last."

* * *

The Ellet accepted and they were off

to the formidable dragon's den

But Virgil shook with fear for all,

especially for his friend.

* * *

"Dearest Melanie," he said,

"If we're about to face our doom,"

"I must thank you now for aiding me,

when I was trapped within that room."

* * *

"If not for you I would have surely

perished before long."

"I believe this too can be overcome,

together we'll be strong".

* * *

Fair Melanie returned his thanks

for leading her out of the dark

The two had courage and went on

with the Ellet who thus did hark.

* * *

They passed through a storehouse of the King,

stocked full of magic vials

And found a potion there to make

the dragon sleep awhile.

* * *

The Ellet each took up a vial

(better multiple tries than few)

And they entered the dragon's darkened lair

where Aegis roared and fumed.

* * *

The beast surrounded from all sides,

fair Melanie took care

Upon her signal the Ellet cast

all their potions into the air.

* * *

It settled upon the dragon,

his bulk a scaly heap

And before they had time to catch a breath,

he fell, giving way to sleep.

* * *

They worked together to throw back the lever

and stopped the coming flood

The feat was so immense indeed,

only a dragon could undo what they'd done.

* * *

Yet as he slowly closed his eyes

did they hear Aegis murmur low:

"The Queen will live again someday.

You should have let me go."

* * *

"I drew the flood to destroy her form

which lays on the throne room floor"

"And now my task is unfinished.

Indeed she will wake once more."

* * *

With that the dragon fell asleep

not to wake for 10 score year

And the Ellet, Virgil and Melanie

all shed a bitter tear.

* * *

"Alas," moaned Virgil to his peers

"Have we truly done what we should?"

"If he'd been allowed to complete his task,

the Queen would be gone for good."

* * *

"But so would all her cursed captives,"

Melanie wisely pointed out.

"Now one may rise to defeat her again,

of this I have no doubt."

* * *

With that she gave the Bow to the Ellet,

deciding they'd know best

And they bore it far within the halls,

on pedestal it did rest.

* * *

As the Ellet bid farewell to them

and vanished into the hall,

Virgil spotted a secret door

in the dragon lair's far wall.

* * *

"This will lead you out," he said

"I'm not sure what you will find"

"But you should remain unharmed my friend,

with no spell upon your mind"

* * *

"As for me, I must stay.

For I was under her spell."

"But you are free to go where you will.

Dear Melanie, farewell."

* * *

Thus Melanie stepped through

into a land torn up by war

She went forth into the setting sun,

and of her we know no more.

* * *

As for Virgil, none know true

whatever became of him.

Some say he escaped, some say he died,

or his mind again grew dim.

* * *

One thing is sure though, in this tale,

and should not be left behind:

That Aegis gave one last command

'fore slumber took his mind.

* * *

Before his defeat by potion's will,

he whispered to a servant true,

And thus the Oracle crept the halls

where wandered a knight of blue.

* * *

She unlocked the door to a certain room

where sleeping archer did rest

And thus the Fool awoke the Flame

to finish Aegis' quest.


End file.
